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Authorities press government over drug driving laws

Richard Oakley

October 4 2009, 1:01am, The Sunday Times

Road-safety authorities have asked the government to introduce legislation to make it easier for gardai to prosecute drug drivers.

Currently, gardai are obliged to prove a driver was under the influence of drugs and, to secure a conviction, to show that the person's driving was impaired as a result. This is different to drink-driving regulations, which stipulate that gardai only have to show that a person was over the legal alcohol limit while driving.

The Road Safety Authority and the Medical Bureau of Road Safety have told Noel Dempsey, the transport minister, that they would like the law on drug driving to be brought into line with the law on alcohol.

Under the proposed system, there would be a zero-tolerance level set for illicit drugs…